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OUR LEARNING

Sacred Heart Primary School

At Sacred Heart Primary School, we aim to sustain and improve student learning in our Learning and Teaching sphere.

 

Every child, every day, is to be...

  • Engaged in positive learning experiences

  • Immersed in hands on experiences that stimulate deep thinking

  • Building a sense of curiosity and wonder for the world around them

  • Building on successes and challenging their learning goals

  • Reflecting and articulating their learning journey

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Our facilitated planning for Numeracy and Literacy is based upon a model that promotes the collective knowledge of teachers. The model focuses on looking at student data, tracking student growth and identifying the professional learning needs of all teachers.

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We are now embarking on an Evidence-based Learning journey which will underpin our future teaching and learning philosophy.

EDUCATION IN FAITH

At Sacred Heart, our Religious Education program permeates all aspects of school life and learning. Our Catholic Faith traditions, Gospel Values and Good Samaritan charism underpin our teachings. We acknowledge and celebrate diversity of faiths.

Sacred Heart implements the Renewed Religious Education Curriculum Framework as directed by the Archdiocese of Melbourne.

The learning structure of the Religious Education Curriculum has three components:

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Three Strands of Learning

  • Knowledge and Understanding – seeking truth

  • Reasoning and Responding – making meaning

  • Personal and Communal Engagement – living story

 

Five content areas

  • Jesus and Scripture

  • Church and Community

  • God, Religion and Life

  • Prayer, Liturgy and Sacraments

  • Morality and Justice

 

Achievement standards in progression points

Prayer and Worship:

Students enter into a prayer life with their class through daily prayer and reflections and level gatherings and whole school assemblies. We have strong links with our Parish Community through shared masses and our Parish Priests work with our students in our school setting to provide real experiences and deepen their understanding and knowledge.

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Sacraments:

Our Sacramental Program covers the Sacrament of Penance (Reconciliation) in Year 3 and the Sacrament of First Eucharist (Communion) in Year 4. The Sacrament of Confirmation (Years 5 and 6) takes place on alternative years.

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Social Justice:

Students at Sacred Heart are offered opportunities to live their faith in action. We are committed to serving our local community with projects such as The Giving Tree, The Samaritan Inn and St. Vincent de Paul Preston.

ENGLISH

At Sacred Heart Primary School, we believe that strong language and literacy skills underpin every aspect of our lives as active and responsible members of our society. Our community is enriched by families with many different language backgrounds and this reinforces our commitment to the provision of a quality curriculum that is tailored to meet the needs of our students.

 

Our Literacy program is driven by shared guiding principles supported through fortnightly facilitated planning sessions with the Teaching and Learning and Literacy Leaders. These sessions allow for strong professional discussions to further develop the knowledge and skills of the teachers in responding to the needs of the students.

 

Guiding Principles in Literacy:

  • We provide many opportunities to read, write, think and talk across different curriculum areas and in different social contexts

  • We endeavour to engage students at all levels at all times, building their sense of ownership and responsibility for themselves as learners

  • We use a range of data to drive planning, learning and teaching, as we see the students as more than just numbers

  • We set high expectations and challenges so that all students can experience success at their particular point of need

  • We establish and share clear learning intentions and success criteria with the students so they have a sense of the next steps in their learning and their role as the learner

  • We establish effective teaching and learning protocols across the school to support a strong commitment to life worthy learning for adults and children

MATHEMATICS

At Sacred Heart Primary School, our Numeracy program is aimed at developing each student’s mathematical understandings, knowledge and skills. Our objective is to equip students with the ability to apply their numeracy skills to a variety of real life situations, and to live numerate lives.

 

Our program is based upon the Victorian Curriculum.  All students complete a Victorian Curriculum online pre-test for each new topic.  Teachers plan in teams using data from pre-tests and other associated data to implement co-ordinated small focus teaching groups to meet the area of need. When a numeracy topic is completed, all students complete a Victorian Curriculum online post-test, which is again analysed by teams to track individual student’s progress.

 

During numeracy sessions, staff also focus on developing the student’s ability to solve a range of problems using a variety of strategies, to think and reason strategically.  Students are encouraged to communicate what they know and to apply the knowledge they have to problem solve. Classrooms are supplied with a wide range of resources that are relevant and contemporary.  

INQUIRY/STEM

At Sacred Heart Primary School, Integrated Inquiry is based on empowering the learner to build foundational knowledge and skills, investigate rich questions and apply their learning in real-life contexts.  Our Throughlines of Identity and Community; Systems; Sustainability; and Change, provide a framework for developing the ‘big ideas’ we want students to understand. Each Throughline comprises of different Victorian Curriculum areas and General Capabilities.

 

We endeavour to develop the students’ skills in working independently and in collaboration with others. Students will learn how to select and use appropriate tools and strategies to support their learning and articulate their thinking.

 

Our newly renovated Makerspace has become an avenue for exploring STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) Education. The importance of STEM is crucial as we develop the skills and capabilities our young learners will need for the future. Our new space will foster play, discovery and collaborative learning in all four of these discipline areas.

E-LEARNING

Sacred Heart Primary School promotes the positive use of technology in student learning which is seamlessly integrated throughout the curriculum. Students are encouraged to use technology to create innovative solutions for a sustainable future through the STEM process.

 

Students in Years P- 4 have access to iPads and laptops and in Years 5-6 they have 1:1 use of chromebooks. The school also has Sphero’s to develop students understanding of Robotics and Coding.  

 

Students at Sacred Heart Primary School are using G-Suite for Education as an e-learning tool. G- Suite for Education is a cloud based set of tools that allows us to create and collaborate from school or home on any device that is connected to the web.

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

At Sacred Heart Primary School, our Physical Education program is facilitated by two specially trained physical education teachers. The program is designed to support and build on each student's movement skills, to best prepare them for interschool sport competitions. The sports covered include swimming, basketball, cross country, athletics, netball, soccer and football. All Year Prep to Year Four students participate in an annual swimming program whilst our Year Five/Six students enjoy participating in a tennis program, as part of their transition into high school. 

LOTE - ITALIAN

At Sacred Heart Primary School, Italian is taught across all levels from Prep to Year Six. The students have a one hour lesson each week with an Italian Specialist where they enjoy learning the Italian Language and Culture. Our program assists students with the ability to learn a language in secondary school. Students use a variety of resources to participate in language activities. A highlight is our Italian and Multicultural Day where students are immersed in activities that celebrate our cultures.

MUSIC

At Sacred Heart Primary School, Music is taught from Year Prep to Six, with each class having a weekly, hour long lesson. The lessons are planned using a combination of the Orff Schulwerk Approach, the Kodaly Method and the Victorian Curriculum.

 

Combining these approaches provides children with a sequential music program which involves a range of skills such as; singing, pitch matching and listening, body percussion, playing on a variety of both tuned and untuned instruments, movement and dancing.

The elements of music such as pitch, rhythm, beat, dynamics, timbre and structure are explored by the children through composing, improvising, performing and responding to a variety of styles of music.

 

Sacred Heart Primary School has a thriving School Choir with a timetabled meeting time scheduled once a week throughout the term.  During Choir lessons, children learn about singing, performance and further develop their listening skills through pitch matching, singing in unison, rounds, chants and harmony. The School Choir is regularly invited to sing and perform at school events, Masses and within the local community. Singing together is proven to help improve health, happiness and develops a sense of belonging and wellbeing; which is certainly the case when Sacred Heart School Choir sing!

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